[1] The following boxers took part in the event:[1] In the gold medal bout, American rookie Spinks faced the veteran Soviet Rufat Riskiyev, the 1974 World Champion.

Spinks, whose brother, Leon, won the light-heavyweight gold medal in Montreal, turned professional.

In 1981 he won the WBA light-heavyweight world title by defeating Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

Michael Spinks would hold a version of the light-heavyweight title through 1985 when he moved up to the heavies and defeated Larry Holmes to win the IBF heavyweight crown, the first light-heavyweight champion to move on to become heavyweight world champ.

Riskiyev, who was 27 at the time of the 1976 Olympics, stayed in the amateurs, as the Soviet system did not allow any athletes to turn pro, though he didn’t achieve further success.